Under the protection of the United States Constitution in conjunction with the First Amendment, the citizens of the U.S.A have the ability to voice their opinions and have voices be heard. Through various types of reporting via the media, society is able to be informed of current events without punishment. This, however, is not the case in all countries throughout the world. Unfortunately, Armenia, a small country in the continent of Asia which is bordered by Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia, is one of those countries.
Armenia
Part One: Victims of Censorship and Oppression Although the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia was adopted on July 5, 1995, and amended on November 27, 2005, journalists and media workers remain restricted and unprotected. For example, Tigran Naghdalian, head of a television station and brother of an opposition leader in Parliament, was held responsible for the contract murders of authorities. He was later found shot by a mystery gunman in front of his parents home. Further, Nikol Pashinyan, editor-in-chief of Oragir, was sentenced to prison for one year for publishing an article that alleged a corruption scandal involving the government. The latest victim reported was journalist, Mher Galechian, of the twice-weekly opposition newspaper, Chorrod Ishxanutiun, who was badly beaten by two men and hospitalized with head injuries. Instead of being protected by their constitution, these men were stripped of their constitutional rights and punished without anyone even claiming responsibility.
Part Two: Does Freedom of Speech Really Exist? Although Armenian society is technically protected by the Article 24 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, Freedom of Speech, the press is restricted and the media environment remains oppressive. Armenian news media was recently downgraded in rating by Freedom House from "Partly Free" to "Not Free". ("Armenia"). Unfortunately, most of the dominant media are controlled by the government or government-friendly individuals. Ironically, the government decriminalized libel (defamation of character) in May 2010, which eliminated imprisonment as a punishment. However, an increase in civil libel cases followed. After that, the Constitutional Court ruled on November 15, 2011 that media outlets cannot be held liable for "critical assessment of facts" and "evaluation judgments". ("Armenia")
Part Three: What's Happening Today? Since the Armenia Genocide in 1915, which consisted of the slaughtering of over one million Armenian's by the Turks, Armenia has struggled through an ongoing uphill battle to survive as an independent state. After gaining such independence following the Russian Revolution, Armenia continues to deal with political unrest, military conflict and corruption of government.
Currently, Armenia continues its century old battle with its neighbor, Azerbedjian. As early as today, the Armenian military vowed strong retaliation after Azeri forces violated a truce agreement and opened fire on a convoy of military vehicles in the border town of Tavush in Armenia, killing one young soldier and wounding three others. This site of Tavush, which is on the Armenia-Azerbedjian border, has sustained severe attacks for over one year now, ironically since the day that then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Armenia to help promote democracy. The United States established diplomatic relations with Armenia in 1992 following its independence from the Soviet Union. The United States continues it support to further Armenia's development of democratic institutions which respect human rights and the rule of law as well as economic institutions which promote economic growth and provide its people with access to health and social services.
Regardless of progress made, political unrest and corruption of government remains very much alive in Armenia. The current president, Serge Sarkisian, won his second five year term in February 2013. Although he won 59% of the public's votes, the election was criticized as voters were not offered "any real choice". ("One"). After most of Sarkisian's well-known opponents ironically withdrew. One of the popular opposition candidates was shot in a suspected assassination attempt, while another, Paruyr Hayriyan, was wounded near his home in the capital city Yerevan and chose to withdraw as well. Another Arman Melikyan, withdrew after he stated that the poll would most likely be rigged in favor of the current president.
Part IV: Are Rules Being Followed? According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), The International Code of Practice for the Safe Conduct of Journalism is being violated across the globe. Although any media worker in any country takes the chance of getting into harm's way while covering a story, the IFJ indicates that there are precautions that can be taken in order to prevent anyone from getting hurt. Unfortunately, regardless of the guidelines put in place, many countries of the world give the appearance that they allow freedom of press and freedom of speech without a negative side effect but in reality they find ways to interfere before the truth is told. Armenia is not an exception.
Many Armenian journalists are killed, harassed or injured while trying to gather and/or report information to the public. According to Reporters Without Borders, Lusine Barsegian, a reporter from an opposition newspaper Aikakan Jamanak, was caught capturing photos of ballot-box stuffing and non-secret voting at a polling station during the last presidential election in February 2013. She was beaten by two men who not only violated her physically, but took her camera and dictaphone after she refused to leave. Unfortunately, witnesses including police did not intervene. In another similar situation," Samvel Avagyan, who works for the daily paper Haik, had his dictaphone snatched from him when he tried to question people in a bus taking them to polling stations after being given ballot papers by police near a market." ("Journalists"). "Cameraman Ovsep Ovesepian, of the TV station A1+, was attacked as he got out of his car by thugs who seized his recordings and tried to smash his camera." ("Journalists"). These occurrences were not much different than what happened following the 2008 presidential election when the then president, Robert Kocharyan, declared a twenty day state of emergency following clashes between police and protestors. "Under the state of the emergency, all news media are required to use only official information in their domestic coverage." ("With"). Reporters Without Borders learned that "access to several online news publications - including the news agency A1+ (www.a1plus.am), the opposition newspaper Haykakan Jamanak (www.azatutyun.am) and website of the daily Aravot (www.aravot.am) - has been blocked by their hosting service provider, Arminico Ltd, on the orders of security services." ("With"). Other informative radio programs were also blocked and replaced by continuous music.
Based on the aforementioned, it is clear to see that Armenian media workers are not protected by The International Code of Practice for the Safe Conduct of Journalism. When reporters are harassed and bullied, when police officials interfere with their media coverage or when media workers are not sure whether their hard work interviewing politicians can even be published, their rights as journalists are not reinforced.
Part V: Be A Hero Heros come in all forms. When it comes to Armenian journalists, one that comes to the mind of many Armenian's is Hrant Dink. Mr. Dink was a Turkish-Armenia editor, columnist and journalist. Although he was of the Armenian minority in the country, he chose to live his entire life in Turkey.
In 1996, Hrant Dink began to publish the Turkish Armenian weekly paper AGOS. His goal was to "establish a bridge of communication and understanding between the larger Turkish population and the Turkish-Armenian community which he complained was living too isolated an existence". ("Hrant"). Dink "tried to make AGOS newspaper a democrat and oppositional voice of Turkey and also to share the injustice done to the Armenian community with public opinion". ("Hrant"). After writing an article in which he acknowledged the 1915-16 massacre of hundreds of thousands of Armenian's by the Turk's, which the Turkish government continues to deny until this day, Dink was arrested. Ironically, because of his high profile trial, he was given a six-month suspension of his sentence and during that time he was shot dead in front of the AGOS offices.
Hrant Dink was a hero to the Armenian community. He stood tall for what he believed was fair and just. He dedicated his life's work to bringing truth and justice for a group of peoples that continue to live under suppression and tried to bring change into the world.
Part VI: Got News??
Armenia's Local Newspaper ("HRAZTAN")
Works Cited "Press Freedom Index and the World Press Freedom Map | Newseum." Press Freedom Index and the World Press Freedom Map | Newseum. N.p., n.d. Web.
"Head of TV Station Murdered - Reporters Without Borders." Head of TV Station Murdered - Reporters Without Borders. N.p., 31 Dec. 2002. Web.
"Journalists Physically Attacked during Election Campaign - Reporters Without Borders." Journalists Physically Attacked during Election Campaign - Reporters Without Borders. N.p., 21 Feb. 2008. Web
"With News Media Paralysed and Websites Inaccessible, Government Is Urged to Lift State of Emergency - Reporters Without Borders." With News Media Paralysed and Websites Inaccessible, Government Is Urged to Lift State of Emergency - Reporters Without Borders. N.p., 5 Mar. 2008. Web.
"International Federation of Journalistes." IFJ.org/assets/docs/208/021/1d8abd0-f5e1e15.pdf N.p., n.d. Web.
Under the protection of the United States Constitution in conjunction with the First Amendment, the citizens of the U.S.A have the ability to voice their opinions and have voices be heard. Through various types of reporting via the media, society is able to be informed of current events without punishment. This, however, is not the case in all countries throughout the world. Unfortunately, Armenia, a small country in the continent of Asia which is bordered by Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia, is one of those countries.
Part One: Victims of Censorship and Oppression
Although the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia was adopted on July 5, 1995, and amended on November 27, 2005, journalists and media workers remain restricted and unprotected. For example, Tigran Naghdalian, head of a television station and brother of an opposition leader in Parliament, was held responsible for the contract murders of authorities. He was later found shot by a mystery gunman in front of his parents home. Further, Nikol Pashinyan, editor-in-chief of Oragir, was sentenced to prison for one year for publishing an article that alleged a corruption scandal involving the government. The latest victim reported was journalist, Mher Galechian, of the twice-weekly opposition newspaper, Chorrod Ishxanutiun, who was badly beaten by two men and hospitalized with head injuries. Instead of being protected by their constitution, these men were stripped of their constitutional rights and punished without anyone even claiming responsibility.
Part Two: Does Freedom of Speech Really Exist?
Although Armenian society is technically protected by the Article 24 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, Freedom of Speech, the press is restricted and the media environment remains oppressive. Armenian news media was recently downgraded in rating by Freedom House from "Partly Free" to "Not Free". ("Armenia"). Unfortunately, most of the dominant media are controlled by the government or government-friendly individuals. Ironically, the government decriminalized libel (defamation of character) in May 2010, which eliminated imprisonment as a punishment. However, an increase in civil libel cases followed. After that, the Constitutional Court ruled on November 15, 2011 that media outlets cannot be held liable for "critical assessment of facts" and "evaluation judgments". ("Armenia")
Part Three: What's Happening Today?
Since the Armenia Genocide in 1915, which consisted of the slaughtering of over one million Armenian's by the Turks, Armenia has struggled through an ongoing uphill battle to survive as an independent state. After gaining such independence following the Russian Revolution, Armenia continues to deal with political unrest, military conflict and corruption of government.
Currently, Armenia continues its century old battle with its neighbor, Azerbedjian. As early as today, the Armenian military vowed strong retaliation after Azeri forces violated a truce agreement and opened fire on a convoy of military vehicles in the border town of Tavush in Armenia, killing one young soldier and wounding three others. This site of Tavush, which is on the Armenia-Azerbedjian border, has sustained severe attacks for over one year now, ironically since the day that then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Armenia to help promote democracy. The United States established diplomatic relations with Armenia in 1992 following its independence from the Soviet Union. The United States continues it support to further Armenia's development of democratic institutions which respect human rights and the rule of law as well as economic institutions which promote economic growth and provide its people with access to health and social services.
Regardless of progress made, political unrest and corruption of government remains very much alive in Armenia. The current president, Serge Sarkisian, won his second five year term in February 2013. Although he won 59% of the public's votes, the election was criticized as voters were not offered "any real choice". ("One"). After most of Sarkisian's well-known opponents ironically withdrew. One of the popular opposition candidates was shot in a suspected assassination attempt, while another, Paruyr Hayriyan, was wounded near his home in the capital city Yerevan and chose to withdraw as well. Another Arman Melikyan, withdrew after he stated that the poll would most likely be rigged in favor of the current president.
Part IV: Are Rules Being Followed?
According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), The International Code of Practice for the Safe Conduct of Journalism is being violated across the globe. Although any media worker in any country takes the chance of getting into harm's way while covering a story, the IFJ indicates that there are precautions that can be taken in order to prevent anyone from getting hurt. Unfortunately, regardless of the guidelines put in place, many countries of the world give the appearance that they allow freedom of press and freedom of speech without a negative side effect but in reality they find ways to interfere before the truth is told. Armenia is not an exception.
Many Armenian journalists are killed, harassed or injured while trying to gather and/or report information to the public. According to Reporters Without Borders, Lusine Barsegian, a reporter from an opposition newspaper Aikakan Jamanak, was caught capturing photos of ballot-box stuffing and non-secret voting at a polling station during the last presidential election in February 2013. She was beaten by two men who not only violated her physically, but took her camera and dictaphone after she refused to leave. Unfortunately, witnesses including police did not intervene. In another similar situation," Samvel Avagyan, who works for the daily paper Haik, had his dictaphone snatched from him when he tried to question people in a bus taking them to polling stations after being given ballot papers by police near a market." ("Journalists"). "Cameraman Ovsep Ovesepian, of the TV station A1+, was attacked as he got out of his car by thugs who seized his recordings and tried to smash his camera." ("Journalists"). These occurrences were not much different than what happened following the 2008 presidential election when the then president, Robert Kocharyan, declared a twenty day state of emergency following clashes between police and protestors. "Under the state of the emergency, all news media are required to use only official information in their domestic coverage." ("With"). Reporters Without Borders learned that "access to several online news publications - including the news agency A1+ (www.a1plus.am), the opposition newspaper Haykakan Jamanak (www.azatutyun.am) and website of the daily Aravot (www.aravot.am) - has been blocked by their hosting service provider, Arminico Ltd, on the orders of security services." ("With"). Other informative radio programs were also blocked and replaced by continuous music.
Based on the aforementioned, it is clear to see that Armenian media workers are not protected by The International Code of Practice for the Safe Conduct of Journalism. When reporters are harassed and bullied, when police officials interfere with their media coverage or when media workers are not sure whether their hard work interviewing politicians can even be published, their rights as journalists are not reinforced.
Part V: Be A Hero
Heros come in all forms. When it comes to Armenian journalists, one that comes to the mind of many Armenian's is Hrant Dink. Mr. Dink was a Turkish-Armenia editor, columnist and journalist. Although he was of the Armenian minority in the country, he chose to live his entire life in Turkey.
In 1996, Hrant Dink began to publish the Turkish Armenian weekly paper AGOS. His goal was to "establish a bridge of communication and understanding between the larger Turkish population and the Turkish-Armenian community which he complained was living too isolated an existence". ("Hrant"). Dink "tried to make AGOS newspaper a democrat and oppositional voice of Turkey and also to share the injustice done to the Armenian community with public opinion". ("Hrant"). After writing an article in which he acknowledged the 1915-16 massacre of hundreds of thousands of Armenian's by the Turk's, which the Turkish government continues to deny until this day, Dink was arrested. Ironically, because of his high profile trial, he was given a six-month suspension of his sentence and during that time he was shot dead in front of the AGOS offices.
Hrant Dink was a hero to the Armenian community. He stood tall for what he believed was fair and just. He dedicated his life's work to bringing truth and justice for a group of peoples that continue to live under suppression and tried to bring change into the world.
Part VI: Got News??
Works Cited
"Press Freedom Index and the World Press Freedom Map | Newseum." Press Freedom Index and the World Press Freedom Map | Newseum. N.p., n.d. Web.
"Head of TV Station Murdered - Reporters Without Borders." Head of TV Station Murdered - Reporters Without Borders. N.p., 31 Dec. 2002. Web.
"Armenia." Freedom House. N.p., n.d. Web.
"One Soldier Killed, 3 Wounded after Azeri Attack." Asbarez News. N.p., 22 Oct. 2013. Web.
"Journalists Physically Attacked during Election Campaign - Reporters Without Borders." Journalists Physically Attacked during Election Campaign - Reporters Without Borders. N.p., 21 Feb. 2008. Web
"With News Media Paralysed and Websites Inaccessible, Government Is Urged to Lift State of Emergency - Reporters Without Borders." With News Media Paralysed and Websites Inaccessible, Government Is Urged to Lift State of Emergency - Reporters Without Borders. N.p., 5 Mar. 2008. Web.
"International Federation of Journalistes." IFJ.org/assets/docs/208/021/1d8abd0-f5e1e15.pdf N.p., n.d. Web.
"Hrant Dink." - Armeniapedia.org. N.p., n.d. Web.
"Hrant Dink Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web.
"HRAZTAN SARKIS ZEITLIAN PUBLICATIONS." HRAZTAN SARKIS ZEITLIAN PUBLICATIONS. N.p., n.d. Web.